How awesome is that?! To see them in Vienna will be a real treat. My ex, then my husband and I went to see them in Seattle. One of the riders was a Czech and my ex is Czech. Someone who knew him introduced him and my ex and me and he managed to get us free tickets in the best seats. It was a beautiful experience. Those horses and riders are simply amazing.
And the "half time entertainment" was extraordinary too. It was a skit of a cowboy and his appaloosa horse out on the trail, setting up camp. The cowboy took a swig of whisky from the bottle and set it down. Then the horse followed suit. Then it was time for bed and the lights were dimming and the moonlight shining. Stars appeared as I recall. And the cowboy took the saddle off, along with the saddle blanket and lay down and the horse lay down along side him. The cowboy put the saddle blanket over himself. No sooner did he get settled, that the horse took the edge of the saddle blanket in his teeth and pulled in onto himself, put his head down and proceeded to go to sleep. But the cowboy reached over and took the blanket to pull over on himself. And so it went back and forth.
Next morning it was time to go and the cowboy put the saddle blanket on the horse. Well, the horse would have none of that so just as the cowboy turned his back to reach for the saddle, the horse pulled the blanket off of himself. And quickly stood stock still with his head facing straight ahead as if he were innocent. The cowboy bent over, put the blanket back on the horse and the second he turned his back again to get the saddle, the horse reached around, pulling the blanket off of himself and again, snapped his head forward, Mr. Innocent. The timing of all this, how the two moved together in perfect rhythm, each one of them turning at the same time to carry out his task, then turning back was astonishing. The training was astonishing. There were more funny things they did. I think I enjoyed that as much as the Lipizzans.
Enjoy your time seeing the stallions.
